More Flyers greats commit to Winter Classic Alumni Game

Everyone loves the Winter Classic, so it’s no surprise that more and more past Flyers are committing to play in this season’s alumni game against the New York Rangers.

A week after news broke that Eric Lindros plans to take part in the New Year’s Eve afternoon festivities at Citizens Bank Park, other big names are pouring in such as Bob Clarke, Bill Barber, Reggie Leach and Orest Kindrachuk from the Broad Street Bullies 1974-75 back-to-back Stanley Cup championship teams, plus more-recent stars like Mark Recchi, John LeClair and Brian Propp.

With Lindros and LeClair committed, the Flyers still are hoping Mikael Renberg can attend so that their famed Legion of Doom line can be reunited.

Renberg is supposed to be in Western Canada working the World Juniors for a Swedish television station, but apparently is hoping to get out of his Dec. 31 commitment.

Courtesy of Anthony San Filippo, the Flyers’ beat writer for the Delaware County Times, here’s an incomplete list of former Flyers expected to take part in the game:

Here’s a few others that would great seeing on the ice:
Ron Hextall, Bernie Parent, Rick Tocchet, Dave Schultz, Tim Kerr and Mark Howe, the later of whom is a new NHL Hall of Famer.

By the way, I’m still hoping Wayne Gretzky changes his mind and plays for the Rangers.

The Great One and the Flyers have a storied history with Gretzky’s Edmonton Oilers beating Philly in two Stanley Cup Finals. No. 99 always has been a great ambassador to hockey and taking part in this event would make it even more special, but it appears he intends to skip it.

“No, I’ll be with my family for the holidays,” Gretzky recently texted ESPN.com “Plus, they don’t need to see a 50-year-old slow guy out there.”